Loire Valley Châteaux- Château de Montsoreau

	Essential Architecture- Loire Valley Châteaux Château de Montsoreau
architect	Jean de Chambes
location	Loire Valley, north-western France.
date	1455
style	French Renaissance
construction	Stone
type	Palace



The Château de Montsoreau, in the market town of Montsoreau, Maine-et-Loire, France, was constructed in 1455 by Jean de Chambes, a senior councillor to King Charles VII. Erected on the bank of the Loire river, it was a strategic fortress, controlling river traffic between Chinon and Saumur. Alexandre Dumas's novel La Dame de Monsoreau is based upon the amorous escapades of two ladies who occupied the castle during the reign of King Henri III. By the end of the 19th century, the castle was abandoned and in near ruins. Today, having undergone extensive renovation, it is owned by the département and houses the Musée des Goums Marocains. The Château de Montsoreau has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1862.
links	Ministry of Culture database entry for Château de Montsoreau (French) Ministry of Culture photos
www.paris-architecture.info